Senior Savvy: Uncle's safety should be paramount

Tuesday

Mar 24, 2009 at 12:01 AMMar 24, 2009 at 1:37 AM

Q: I received a call from Protective Services saying that I am not caring for my uncle properly. Protective Services is involved to see if there is any neglect or abuse. I am very scared about the investigation and worry that my uncle will be removed from his home.

Debbie Gitner and Linda Sullivan

Q: I received a call from Protective Services saying that I am not caring for my uncle properly. Protective Services is involved to see if there is any neglect or abuse. I am very scared about the investigation and worry that my uncle will be removed from his home. I have been trying to provide appropriate care to my uncle and can not understand how this happened. Should I hire a lawyer to fight this or is the other help out there?

A: In Massachusetts, physicians, nurses and social workers are mandated reporters if they suspect neglect or abuse of a senior. Protective Services will not tell you who put in the report. Their role is to investigate the situation and to determine if there is any kind of neglect, abuse or financial exploitation.

A Protective Services caseworker does a complete assessment, looking at the entire situation before they come to a decision. They will also work with you to make recommendations to keep your uncle safe at home or, if they feel he is not safe at home, will take action to have him removed from his home and placed in a safe environment.

Speak honestly with the investigator allowing them to better understand why and how you came to decisions in caring for your uncle. Sometimes Protective Services will close a case after their investigation and other times they will keep it open and stay involved a bit longer.

Without knowing why Protective Services was called in, we would suggest you speak with a lawyer. But depending on the outcome you may not need one.

Also, a geriatric care manager (GCM) can be another resource. They are able to speak with Protective Services, talk with you, and talk with your uncle in resolving this problem. GCMs can also make suggestions to keep your uncle safe, provide you with additional resources, discuss the pros and cons of various options, offer solutions to problems and be an advocate for your uncle.

Q: My father is getting on years. He has lived a very exciting life and always has fun stories to share with us and with his grandchildren. Are there any ideas of how I can save these stories?

A: Yes, it is always wonderful to have the memories of our relatives. A couple of suggestions come to mind. You can have your father sit down with you and other relatives and use a video camera to record his stories. This usually takes more than one session because so much comes to mind. You can even prepare questions for your father so he is not caught off guard and can even put together his memories so he does not forget something important. Another idea is to hire a company that will come into your home or your father's home and set the stage, record the conversations and put them on a DVD. This is always a nice gift for someone and will be treasured by everyone in the family. Please contact us if you are interested in the name of a company that provides this service.

ElderCare Resource Services is a partnership of geriatric nurses and social workers that helps families to investigate, assess and recommend medical and non-medical care and resources for seniors.